2006NRITS_1201_presentation_v1 8 4 2006.

SAFETEA-LU §1201:Real-Time Systems InformationManagement Program : 

SAFETEA-LU §1201:Real-Time Systems InformationManagement Program 2006 National Rural ITS Conference Big Sky, MT Session C4 August 14, 2006 Heather Young, ITS America Director, Transportation Information Programs

Docket Summary Caveat : 

Docket Summary Caveat Conclusions and opinions provided in this presentation are a summary of responses received in the docket and do NOT represent the opinion of or any commitment from the USDOT. 38 responses received by July 3, excluding duplicate postings 42 receive total: FHWA considering comments that were received after the July 3 closing date

Legislation : 

Legislation SAFETEA-LU, Subtitle B, Section 1201 Congestion Relief Real-Time System Management Information Program “The Secretary shall establish a real-time system management information program to provide, in all States, the capability to monitor, in real-time, the traffic and travel conditions of the major highways of the United States and to share that information to improve the security of the surface transportation system, to address congestion problems, to support improved response to weather events and surface transportation incidents, and to facilitate national and regional highway traveler information.”

Legislation (cont.) : 

Legislation (cont.) Data Exchange Formats “Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish data exchange formats to ensure that the data provided by highway and transit monitoring systems, including statewide incident reporting systems, can readily be exchanged across jurisdictional boundaries, facilitating nationwide availability of information.” “States shall incorporate the data exchange formats established by the Secretary … to ensure that the data provided by highway and transit monitoring systems may readily be exchanged with State and local governments and may be made available to the traveling public.”

Program Context & Funding : 

Program Context & Funding Context Information needs for transportation systems management & operations To Base Decisions on the Performance of the Transportation Network Funding No funding specific to Program Federal-aid eligibility NHS STP CMAQ SPR may be used for planning real-time monitoring systems

USDOT Approach : 

USDOT Approach Craft proposed description of the Program Address existing systems RFI published in May 4 Federal Register Program Description Request for Information (60-day comment period) Data Exchange Formats Goals & Outcomes Program Definitions Program Parameters

Program Description: Data Exchange Formats : 

Program Description: Data Exchange Formats Assess existing standards for feasibility and applicability Center-to-Center standards as basis Example list of 24 standards in RFI, including TMDD, IEEE 1512, SAE – ATIS, Location referencing, NTCIP – ESS, TCIP Inventory of existing systems will provide additional information

Program Description: Goals & Outcomes : 

Goals (By September 30, 2009): Establish in all States a basic real-time information system Identify longer range real-time monitoring needs; develop plans & strategies Provide capability to share data Outcomes Publicly available Web site 511 Regional ITS Architectures reflect systems Access to data through Internet Program Description: Goals & Outcomes

Slide 9: 

Questions: Goals Does September 30, 2009, represent a reasonable time period for implementing the Real-time System Management Information Program? What potential obstacles would prevent program implementation by this date? What would be a reasonable time frame for implementing the program? Program Description: Goals & Outcomes (cont.) Most generally agreed with scope; some disagreed with the timeline Suggested alternatives included a 5-year delay and a phased approach by region, coverage, data content, or data quality State DOTs: could meet some program goals by 2009 Private Sector: 2009 reasonable & program goals can be achieved more quickly

Slide 10: 

Program Description: Goals & Outcomes (cont.) Questions: Outcomes Are the proposed outcomes appropriate for gauging the success of a system implemented under the program? What other measures for success would be useful? Proposed outcomes reasonable for USDOT but states would need different, additional measures to determine performance of their specific system (local) geographic coverage customer acceptance data quality

Program Description: Program Definitions : 

Major Highways NHS, limited-access roads Major arterials in metro areas Traffic & Travel Conditions Road & lane closures (construction, incidents, weather) Adverse roadway weather conditions Congestion Travel times in congested metro areas Transit service disruptions in metro areas Program Description: Program Definitions

Slide 12: 

Program Description: Program Definitions (cont.) Questions Is this proposed definition of “major highways” adequate and appropriate for the purposes of the Real-time System Management Information Program? Requests for flexibility in deciding which roads to cover Rural & urban areas might have different needs for coverage

Program Description: Program Definitions (cont.) : 

Traffic & Travel Conditions/Real-Time Construction closures / openings within 30 minutes; 15 minutes in metro areas Confirmed road or lane blocking incident information within 15 minutes Roadway weather conditions updated at least 30 minutes Congestion information updated at least 15 minutes Travel times reflect conditions no older than 10 minutes Transit disruptions updated at least 30 minutes Program Description: Program Definitions (cont.)

Slide 14: 

Program Description: Program Definitions (cont.) Questions: Traffic & Travel Conditions How well do the proposed traffic and travel conditions represent reasonable and appropriate basic requirements for the Real-time System Management Information Program? General support for including travel times and speeds, with extent & degree of congested conditions Disagreement to include information on public transportation disruptions & weather & construction information

Slide 15: 

Program Description: Program Definitions (cont.) Questions: Real-Time How well do the proposed criteria for real-time information represent reasonable and appropriate minimums for systems implemented under the Real-time System Management Information Program? General support for proposed definition of “real-time” for congestion, travel time, & lane blockage information Several respondents, including state DOTs, noted that more stringent ? 5 minutes or less ? would be more useful to the public

Program Description: Program Parameters : 

Information Quality – “Good” Accuracy Minimum of 85% accuracy Availability Minimum of 90% availability Program Description: Program Parameters Based on “Data Gap Workshop” results “Good” – “Better” – “Best” descriptions

Slide 17: 

Program Description: Program Parameters (cont.) Questions: Information Quality How well do the proposed attributes present reasonable minimum requirements for systems implemented under the Real-time System Management Information Program? Are any other minimum requirements necessary? Alternatives for quality and accuracy proposed but no general consensus more stringent measures suggested weaker measures suggested agreement with proposed USDOT measures

Existing Systems : 

Existing Systems Program would: be developed to take advantage of existing systems & information sharing build upon existing system where applicable complement current performance reporting systems

Slide 19: 

Existing Systems (cont.) Questions What system used? What types of information? How is information shared with the public? How broadly is information shared with other agencies? What data standards are used? Nearly all respondents provided information on systems deployed systems in their area

Summary : 

Summary Overall, scope of the program was reasonably supported Despite dissenting opinions, the suggested alternatives were not widely supported meaning no specific alternative was more popular with regards to data elements, data quality, coverage, etc., than the parameter proposed in the RFI To review the docket submissions, visit the Document Management System (DMS) at http://dms.dot.gov/submit. Use docket number FHWA–06–24219

Conclusions : 

Conclusions Overall, in favor of concept Continue detailed overview of comments to refine Program Definitions Implementation TBD Program Guidance by end of year Informal Response to Rural Transportation Community “…to support improved response to weather events and surface transportation incidents, and to facilitate national and regional highway traveler information.” Systems need to be in place to assist in the future USDOT will continue reaching out to Rural for input

Next steps : 

Next steps Leverage organizations’ activities ITS America Annual Meeting Web conferences I-95 Information Forum TRB / AASHTO mid-year meetings Coordination with NCHRP 20-7, Task 215 “Statewide Incident Reporting Systems” Develop & Issue Program Guidance Based on Comments

Resources & Contacts : 

Resources & Contacts ‘‘Closing the Data Gap: Guidelines for Quality Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) Data’’ that is available from the DOT at http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS/REPT_MIS/13580.html (Intelligent Transportation Society of America, ATIS Committee; September 2000) § 1201 Program Team Leader Bob Rupert, FHWA, [email protected] ITS America Heather Young, [email protected]

Thank you : 

Thank you